One of my parakeets (budgie) somehow injured a leg, and it now hangs useless. She can no longer live in the large flight with the rest of the flock. We tried--after about a week and a half in a small cage, during which time it seemed she was no longer bothered by the leg (as in we gave her time to heal, the leg did not recover but she became comfortable with it) we put her back in the big flight, for two days she was fine, then the third day suddenly her foot was injured and a bit bloody, don't know if she injured it or if someone else bit it.
So she is in a small cage, and perches are arranged for a one-legged bird who is a bit clumsy on landings. But she is alone. I see a few choices for dealing with this:
Attach her small cage to the side of the big flight. This way she is next to her friends, but safe. But is this a good solution, or will she be completely frustrated at not quite being able to get to her companions?
Pull another bird from the big flight to be her cagemate, but it seems kind of wrong to take someone away from the flock and the large space for no reason other than I need a second bird.
Find another lame parakeet to be with her. But there isn't a rescue that even takes in parakeets within 50-60 miles of me. Let alone one with a lame parakeet. I have sent out emails to several of the smaller, individually run rescues in the area asking that if they know of any one or any birds, to let me know. But I doubt it is going to bring any results. Will also be calling some of the local vets, in case they hear of a lame bird who needs a home.
Or, is it possible to mix species? I see a listing within reasonable distance for a cockatiel with only one wing. But I seem to remember that you're not supposed to mix budgies and tiels, the budgies tend to bully or beat up tiels. Or, with them both being handicapped, might they be okay together? Or is there some other kind of bird that it would be okay to put in with my lame budgie?
I feel so bad for her being all alone in her cage. Since we have cats and a dog, I can't hand-tame her and have her hang out with me during the day, she'd get eaten the minute she left my person.
Any ideas?
Companion for Parakeet?
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Nipper06
- Novice Nester
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- Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:49 pm
- Location: Wilmington, Delaware (USA)
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
For now, I'd put her cage near the other budgies (on the side of the big flight). She'll feel better just being near them. In fact, that might be the better solution in the long run. I don't know if it's necessary or advisable to put another bird in her cage with her. Budgies in cages (esp. 2 females) sometimes bicker / fight for dominance and she could end up getting injured again. Just being next to the other budgies may be good enough - or as good as it gets.
Maybe you could hang her cage right next to a perch in the flght cage - this way she could have "company" with the budgies right next to her? As for mixing species - sometimes cockatiels and budgies work out together - but budgies prefer other budgies. Personally, I'd just put the cage on the side of your budgie flight cage and see how that works. Maybe she will eventually have a male friend that comes to chirp with her and that can be the bird you try in the same cage with her someday?
And give her more time, maybe her foot will heal better eventually? You could always try her in the big flight again in a few weeks or months.
You might also want to post your question here: http://talkbudgies.com/
Maybe you could hang her cage right next to a perch in the flght cage - this way she could have "company" with the budgies right next to her? As for mixing species - sometimes cockatiels and budgies work out together - but budgies prefer other budgies. Personally, I'd just put the cage on the side of your budgie flight cage and see how that works. Maybe she will eventually have a male friend that comes to chirp with her and that can be the bird you try in the same cage with her someday?
And give her more time, maybe her foot will heal better eventually? You could always try her in the big flight again in a few weeks or months.
You might also want to post your question here: http://talkbudgies.com/
Ron
My Pets: 2 Java Sparrows, 1 Canary, 4 Gouldian Finches, 1 Green Singer, 2 Ringneck Doves, 1 Budgie, 2 Rosy Bourke Parakeets, and 1 Mixed-breed Terrier
My Pets: 2 Java Sparrows, 1 Canary, 4 Gouldian Finches, 1 Green Singer, 2 Ringneck Doves, 1 Budgie, 2 Rosy Bourke Parakeets, and 1 Mixed-breed Terrier
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Finnie
- 2 Eggs Laid
- Posts: 740
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 10:31 am
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
I think Ron has given you good advice. All those same things he said were going through my mind too, as I read your post. The problem with getting her a cockatiel, beside the fact that they might not hit it off, is that for a cockatiel, which is bigger, out of cage time for flying and playing would be even more important. And if your cats and dogs rule that out, then you would have two unhappy birds.
I think there is a really good chance that once her leg is completely healed, even though non-functioning, she could live a happy life in the aviary after all. I have read about several people who have one legged budgies who get along just fine in their aviaries. Perhaps the blood was from her re-injuring her leg, as it might not have been done healing.
Sometimes when they have a useless leg like that, it withers away and falls off. Perhaps she is just not to that point yet, but afterwards, she might be fine.
I like Ron's idea about having her cage close to the aviary, and seeing if a particular one becomes her buddy. But most likely, you could try any male with her, and they would get along fine, if it was just the two of them.
Good luck, I hope she heals well.
I think there is a really good chance that once her leg is completely healed, even though non-functioning, she could live a happy life in the aviary after all. I have read about several people who have one legged budgies who get along just fine in their aviaries. Perhaps the blood was from her re-injuring her leg, as it might not have been done healing.
Sometimes when they have a useless leg like that, it withers away and falls off. Perhaps she is just not to that point yet, but afterwards, she might be fine.
I like Ron's idea about having her cage close to the aviary, and seeing if a particular one becomes her buddy. But most likely, you could try any male with her, and they would get along fine, if it was just the two of them.
Good luck, I hope she heals well.
-Finnie
34 Budgies
13 Gouldian Finches
13 Society Finches
6 Owl Finches
4 Yellow Face Star finches
16 Bourke's Parakeets
4 Cockatiels
5 chickens!
OMG this signature is so outdated! Make that 50 chickens!
34 Budgies
13 Gouldian Finches
13 Society Finches
6 Owl Finches
4 Yellow Face Star finches
16 Bourke's Parakeets
4 Cockatiels
5 chickens!
OMG this signature is so outdated! Make that 50 chickens!
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Nerien
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
Thanks for the ideas.
The cause of the original injury is unknown. My daughter looked in and saw that Forest was holding her leg up and out to the side. No blood, no cuts, no bites, no swollen or bruised area indicating a break. We guessed maybe she got caught on something and pulled free, injuring her hip since that's where the problem seemed to be, since it wasn't visible lower down. Her foot is not moving, it just hangs limp.
We were at the start of the blizzard that came through New England, so there was no way to take her out to a vet, and there is no real avian vet anywhere near here anyway, the one who does even see birds doesn't work Friday or Saturday, so with no chance to get her to a vet for quite a few days, we put her in a smaller cage to give her a chance to recover. Everything I could find about a leg injury pretty much said there was nothing to be done anyway, an obvious break down low where it can be seen and splinted might be treated, but messing with higher up or a hip was just as likely to do further harm than help, best to just let it heal as is. After a week and a half, she seemed comfortable with it, tho the angle and lack of movement remained, so we tried her back in the big cage. After two days, suddenly her foot was bloody. Not a little scrape, bloody. Don't know if she did it herself on something in the cage, or if one of the other birds bit it because it sticks out to the side, very tempting. So back into a private cage she went. And now to figure out what to do to make her life as good as possible.
Have been smearing the foot with bacitracin, but since the second injury, it is now off-colored and a bit swollen. Before it was normal looking, just non-functional. She still looks fine, not puffed, eating and drinking. If this leg dies and falls off, I could see her going back into the big flight. She perches with the good foot, and climbs around most determinedly with her foot and beak, and she can still fly fine, just landing is a bit rough.
Read up on that talkbudgies.com, didn't post yet, but saw many posts about a suddenly lame leg, almost all of which say the cause turned out to be a tumor inside the body which began pushing on the nerve to the leg when it grew big enough. Always the left leg, and mostly in females, as it is often an ovarian tumor. It often progresses to paralyze the other leg as well as it grows, and of course is fatal, if the owner didn't choose to put the bird to rest first because its life was no longer pleasant. Forest is one of the first birds we brought home, just 3 years ago. I am hoping it is an injury, not a tumor, but the posts ran something like 10-1 about tumors. My poor little bird!
The cause of the original injury is unknown. My daughter looked in and saw that Forest was holding her leg up and out to the side. No blood, no cuts, no bites, no swollen or bruised area indicating a break. We guessed maybe she got caught on something and pulled free, injuring her hip since that's where the problem seemed to be, since it wasn't visible lower down. Her foot is not moving, it just hangs limp.
We were at the start of the blizzard that came through New England, so there was no way to take her out to a vet, and there is no real avian vet anywhere near here anyway, the one who does even see birds doesn't work Friday or Saturday, so with no chance to get her to a vet for quite a few days, we put her in a smaller cage to give her a chance to recover. Everything I could find about a leg injury pretty much said there was nothing to be done anyway, an obvious break down low where it can be seen and splinted might be treated, but messing with higher up or a hip was just as likely to do further harm than help, best to just let it heal as is. After a week and a half, she seemed comfortable with it, tho the angle and lack of movement remained, so we tried her back in the big cage. After two days, suddenly her foot was bloody. Not a little scrape, bloody. Don't know if she did it herself on something in the cage, or if one of the other birds bit it because it sticks out to the side, very tempting. So back into a private cage she went. And now to figure out what to do to make her life as good as possible.
Have been smearing the foot with bacitracin, but since the second injury, it is now off-colored and a bit swollen. Before it was normal looking, just non-functional. She still looks fine, not puffed, eating and drinking. If this leg dies and falls off, I could see her going back into the big flight. She perches with the good foot, and climbs around most determinedly with her foot and beak, and she can still fly fine, just landing is a bit rough.
Read up on that talkbudgies.com, didn't post yet, but saw many posts about a suddenly lame leg, almost all of which say the cause turned out to be a tumor inside the body which began pushing on the nerve to the leg when it grew big enough. Always the left leg, and mostly in females, as it is often an ovarian tumor. It often progresses to paralyze the other leg as well as it grows, and of course is fatal, if the owner didn't choose to put the bird to rest first because its life was no longer pleasant. Forest is one of the first birds we brought home, just 3 years ago. I am hoping it is an injury, not a tumor, but the posts ran something like 10-1 about tumors. My poor little bird!
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Finnie
- 2 Eggs Laid
- Posts: 740
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 10:31 am
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
Oh, that would be sad. I hope it's not a tumor, too.
-Finnie
34 Budgies
13 Gouldian Finches
13 Society Finches
6 Owl Finches
4 Yellow Face Star finches
16 Bourke's Parakeets
4 Cockatiels
5 chickens!
OMG this signature is so outdated! Make that 50 chickens!
34 Budgies
13 Gouldian Finches
13 Society Finches
6 Owl Finches
4 Yellow Face Star finches
16 Bourke's Parakeets
4 Cockatiels
5 chickens!
OMG this signature is so outdated! Make that 50 chickens!
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Nerien
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
Well, we put her into the large Visions cage, because it has horizontal bars, not vertical bars, so is easier to climb using one foot and beak.
Got several wooden ladders, and installed them crosswise like perches, one level, one at an angle so it has upper and lower perch bar, with the crossbars providing extra stability points. Used smaller ones and pieces to make ladders from up from bottom and between levels.
Also made her a perch-platform using a wooden dowel perch and a plastic lid, ran the dowel through the sides of the lid so it runs & rests inside the lid. This way she can sit on the lid, or grasp the perch bar, or both.
She can fly, but landing is awkward, so these bigger targets and extra bars to grab onto do help. Also, I see her learning to perch and rest by laying across corners and extra pieces, to take the constant strain off her good leg. Ladders from the floor are so that if she doesn't want to fly and risk landing, she can climb instead.
It looks like a built-in jungle gym in there, all of this along the sides so that there is enough open space to fly up and across in the middle.
Wrapped the bottom grate in paper towel, so a floor landing is soft and stable, no flopping between wires of the grate. Left the grate in this way, as it provides a floor that is closer up to the food bowls, which in a Visions cage lodge in their positions on the bottom. Have seen her eat and drink.
This cage is up against the big one, with only the small gap because the bottom of the cage flares outward. She has spent all waking time clinging to the side of her cage trying to get to her buddies. I feel so sad for her. Going to call various vets tomorrow to spread the word about looking for a lame companion for her.
Hubby and I are considering the idea, if we can't find a lame adoptee, to get the meekest looking budgie from a local pet store, and put that in with her to be her companion, away from the big flight, which seems to be making her miserable. A new bird from a petstore chain will have just come from a breeding facility, it will not have been in a huge cage, nor developed friends, so living in the private cage won't be so bad for it. Better than most of the small cages pet stores sell you with a new parakeet. And, if/when Forest moves on (still very worried about the tumor possibility), then the new bird could move up to the big flight with the rest of the flock.
Got several wooden ladders, and installed them crosswise like perches, one level, one at an angle so it has upper and lower perch bar, with the crossbars providing extra stability points. Used smaller ones and pieces to make ladders from up from bottom and between levels.
Also made her a perch-platform using a wooden dowel perch and a plastic lid, ran the dowel through the sides of the lid so it runs & rests inside the lid. This way she can sit on the lid, or grasp the perch bar, or both.
She can fly, but landing is awkward, so these bigger targets and extra bars to grab onto do help. Also, I see her learning to perch and rest by laying across corners and extra pieces, to take the constant strain off her good leg. Ladders from the floor are so that if she doesn't want to fly and risk landing, she can climb instead.
It looks like a built-in jungle gym in there, all of this along the sides so that there is enough open space to fly up and across in the middle.
Wrapped the bottom grate in paper towel, so a floor landing is soft and stable, no flopping between wires of the grate. Left the grate in this way, as it provides a floor that is closer up to the food bowls, which in a Visions cage lodge in their positions on the bottom. Have seen her eat and drink.
This cage is up against the big one, with only the small gap because the bottom of the cage flares outward. She has spent all waking time clinging to the side of her cage trying to get to her buddies. I feel so sad for her. Going to call various vets tomorrow to spread the word about looking for a lame companion for her.
Hubby and I are considering the idea, if we can't find a lame adoptee, to get the meekest looking budgie from a local pet store, and put that in with her to be her companion, away from the big flight, which seems to be making her miserable. A new bird from a petstore chain will have just come from a breeding facility, it will not have been in a huge cage, nor developed friends, so living in the private cage won't be so bad for it. Better than most of the small cages pet stores sell you with a new parakeet. And, if/when Forest moves on (still very worried about the tumor possibility), then the new bird could move up to the big flight with the rest of the flock.
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Nerien
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
She's holding her leg out farther, and now there's a big feathery part of her body sticking out with it--kinda like a big fat turkey leg look.
Maybe it's just getting stiffer, and she's holding it out farther, or the muscles are getting better at holding it up and out, but I don't think so.
I think she has a tumor, and if so, it's obviously growing tremendously fast.
She isn't distressed or showing signs of pain, yet. What do I do when she does? Taking her out to a vet will be extremely stressful and scary for her. Is there a peaceful at-home way....?
Maybe it's just getting stiffer, and she's holding it out farther, or the muscles are getting better at holding it up and out, but I don't think so.
I think she has a tumor, and if so, it's obviously growing tremendously fast.
She isn't distressed or showing signs of pain, yet. What do I do when she does? Taking her out to a vet will be extremely stressful and scary for her. Is there a peaceful at-home way....?
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Nerien
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
never mind. she passed last night.
fly high and free, my little bird.
fly high and free, my little bird.
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mayble
- Sisal Slave
- Posts: 563
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:34 pm
- Location: Michigan
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
So sorry for your loss.
Poor little birdy.
Poor little birdy.
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Finnie
- 2 Eggs Laid
- Posts: 740
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 10:31 am
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
I'm sorry for you loss. I'm glad you were spared having to make a decision on your own. Even if there were a way that was stress free for the bird, it wouldn't be for the owner. 
-Finnie
34 Budgies
13 Gouldian Finches
13 Society Finches
6 Owl Finches
4 Yellow Face Star finches
16 Bourke's Parakeets
4 Cockatiels
5 chickens!
OMG this signature is so outdated! Make that 50 chickens!
34 Budgies
13 Gouldian Finches
13 Society Finches
6 Owl Finches
4 Yellow Face Star finches
16 Bourke's Parakeets
4 Cockatiels
5 chickens!
OMG this signature is so outdated! Make that 50 chickens!
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Nerien
Re: Companion for Parakeet?
Thank you, both. I'm glad she went on her own, and quickly, too.